Michael J. Skeldon Fund

Michael J. Skeldon was born in Kankakee, Illinois, in 1964 to Oran Lee and Judith (Jefferson) Skeldon. He ran varsity cross-country in high school and excelled academically. The first member of his family to attend college, he graduated from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1987 with a degree in architecture. Mike worked as a construction consultant and project manager in the Boston area for over 30 years, developing projects all over the region. He left his mark most notably with his work at Tufts University. Mike was involved in the design and construction of many of the campus facilities built or renovated between 1997 and 2019, including the installation of the “Jumbo” statue, a campus landmark.

Michael was the beloved husband of Lucy Calvin Skeldon, and the devoted father of K.C., Christopher, and Alexander Skeldon. An enthusiastic supporter of his children’s interests, he could often be found assisting with set builds for the Wakefield High School Drama Club or cheering on the cross-country and track teams. He and Lucy also competed in the Annual TSF Trivia Contest every year from 2003 on with their team, Eponymous, placing in the top five often and bringing home the championship trophy twice.

He was known throughout his life for his endless curiosity. Mike would question what no one else had thought to question, which often led him to find solutions to problems no one else had been able to solve. He also had a great sense of humor, and a passion for long-suffering baseball teams, having grown up in the Chicago area as a Cubs fan, and then eventually adopting the Red Sox as his new home team once he became a New Englander. He lived to see both teams finally triumph over their respective curses and become World Series champions.

Mike was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in 2018, just six months after running the Boston Marathon. He passed away in November 2019.

The Michael J. Skeldon Fund was established by his family and friends to honor Mike’s memory and to support the academic explorations of others who share Mike’s endless curiosity.